When Would I Need a Carotid Ultrasound?

On each side of your neck, you have a critical artery. Specifically, your two carotid arteries take oxygenated blood from your heart to your brain while nourishing the tissue there and in your face and neck. Long story short, they’re important. 

As you can probably expect, a blockage in these arteries gets problematic quickly. To pinpoint these types of problems before they have the opportunity to cause a stroke, David Bolon, MD, offers carotid ultrasounds here at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City. 

Should you get this type of cardiac screening? Dr. Bolon and our team can help you find out.

When you should get a carotid ultrasound

Dr. Bolon uses this tool to check for carotid artery disease, a narrowing in these blood vessels that could lead to stroke. 

Just like any other blood vessel in your body, each of your carotid arteries can have plaque built up inside them. This plaque — usually made from cholesterol, fat, or something else in your bloodstream — limits blood flow through the artery.

Catching this issue early reduces your risk of stroke. As a result, Dr. Bolon might recommend that you get a carotid ultrasound if you have a heightened risk of carotid artery disease or stroke in general. You might want to get this type of screening if you have:

• A personal or family history of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis) 
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol 
• High triglycerides 
• A history of regular tobacco use
• Excess weight
• Sleep apnea
• A sedentary lifestyle

Talk with Dr. Bolon about your family health history, your lifestyle choices, and any symptoms you’ve noticed. He can help you determine if you should have your carotid arteries screened. 

What to expect

If Dr. Bolon recommends a carotid ultrasound, you’ll be glad to know that this process comes with absolutely no discomfort. 

During this screening, your sonographer applies a gel to your neck. This allows us to get the clearest ultrasound imaging possible. Once we activate the ultrasound device, it sends sound waves into your artery. Based on the way they bounce back, we can see if you have any blockage or narrowing in your carotid arteries. 

The ultrasound itself usually takes about 30 minutes. Afterward, we review the results with you. If needed, we can develop a treatment plan to reverse any issues we find. Our goal is to work with you to lower your risk of stroke. 

To learn more about this type of screening or to ask Dr. Bolon if you should get a carotid ultrasound, call (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online.